Looking Back, Pressing Forward

 

“God the Architect” by Harry Kemp 1948 (today’s lingo - twb) Who you are I know not, But this much I know; You have set the Pleiades in a silver row; You have set the trackless winds loose upon their way; You have reared a colored wall between the night and day; You have made the flowers to bloom and the stars to shine; Hid rare gems of richest ore in the tunneled mine; But chief of all your wonderous works, supreme of all your plan, You have put an upward reach in the heart of man. As age progresses, life’s lessons leave behind what we have learned: You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk (age 7); When waving to people in the country, they stop what they are doing and wave back (age 9); If you want to cheer yourself up, you should try cheering someone else up (age 14); Although it’s hard to admit, I’m secretly glad my parents are strict with me (age 15); Being silent company is often more healing than words of advice (age 24); If someone says something unkind about me, I must live so that no one will believe it (age 39); The greater a person’s guilt, the greater the need grows to cast blame on others (age 46); Singing “Amazing Grace” can lift my spirits for hours (age 49); One can learn a lot about a person by the way they handle, rainy days, lost luggage, and strands of tangled decoration lights (age 52); Regardless of your relationship with your parents, you miss them after they’re gone (age 53); If you want to do something positive for your children, improve your marriage (age 61); Life sometimes grants a second chance (age 62); If one pursues happiness, it will elude them. But, if one focusses on the family, the needs of others, one’s work ethics, meeting new people, and doing the best in all they do, happiness will find them (age 65); Deciding something with kindness is usually the right decision (age 66). Everyone can use a prayer (age 72); Even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one (age 82); Reach out and touch someone (age 85); I still have a lot to learn (age 92).

[1 John 2:15-17] With the arrival of 2022 many of us are re­flecting upon the past year and looking toward the hope and promise of the new. One passage we often turn to when thinking about hope for the future is Philippians 3:13-14. Paul talks about putting to rest things of the past, and pressing toward the future, ultimately the prize of heavenly reward! Putting away the things of the past can be very appealing to us. Sometimes we carry large burdens of pain, guilt, or stress that we are eager to dismiss from our lives. But when Paul says, “forgetting those things that are behind,” what exactly is he encouraging us to forget? The New Testament shows us that Paul did a lot of looking back upon his life. He looked back upon his achievements (Philippians 3:3-6), his failures (1 Timothy 1:12-15), his trials (2 Corinthians 11:22-33), his gifts from God (2 Corinthians 12:1-6), his infirmities (2 Corinthians 12:7-10), and even upon the people who had harmed him (2 Timothy 4:14). Why did he look back? It certainly wasn’t to despair or cause himself to be depressed (Philippians 4:8)! Instead, his looking back was always for two rea­sons. First, to remember the blessings that God had bestowed on him, and second, to draw upon his experiences to be better able to teach others. Paul doesn’t mean to total­ly forget the past. Instead, it appears Paul is telling us not to rest on past achievements, but to press on in new service to the Lord! So, as we enter into the new year, look upon the past year, find the blessings, and praise God! Also look upon the past year and find the disappointments. Consider how you might use these experiences to comfort or teach those in similar circum­stances. Finally, look upon the coming year as an opportunity to serve God more fully! Look back but press forward into the service of our Almighty God!